


Engagement

by halfpastmorrow



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-09
Updated: 2010-01-09
Packaged: 2017-10-06 01:19:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/48157
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfpastmorrow/pseuds/halfpastmorrow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just how far should Severus trust Lucius</p>
            </blockquote>





	Engagement

**Author's Note:**

  * For [GMTH](https://archiveofourown.org/users/GMTH/gifts).



"You know, I heard they're going to pass Eloise Cauldwell over for promotion again."

Severus cringed and took a gulp of wine.

However, the small circle of Ministry functionaries leant in closer to the speaker, a portly wizard, whose stiff, high-collared formal robes seemed utterly at odds with his flamboyant hand gestures and gossipy manner. Severus couldn't remember his name, but that was no great loss.

The air, though, was practically humming with their breathless anticipation, and unfortunately he went on.

"Apparently, there's a young witch who's just joined the department. You know the blonde with the large--" he said, making the appropriate gesture.

A middle-aged witch with fading blonde hair peered over her half moon glasses and cleared her throat meaningfully.

"Right, well, it seems Bartholomew has had his eye on her for quite some time now."

Severus shuddered and stepped away from the group, placing himself a couple of paces closer to the wall. The shadowed nook next to the trophy cabinet was looking more and more inviting. He swirled his wine glass and peered deep into the bowl, watching the glossy liquid lap the sides.

He looked up a moment or two later, some instinct telling him he was being watched. Dumbledore was gazing at him from the far side of the room. A faint frown tugged at his brow and an almost imperceptible tilt of his head directed Severus back in the direction from which he had just come.

Severus sighed and resisted the urge to pull his watch from his pocket. An hour, he'd promised Albus another hour. As the newly appointed Head of Slytherin House, he was technically the guest of honour at this function, or so Albus had tried to convince him. But guest of honour or no, that didn't mean that he was prepared to subject himself to further anecdotes from the Ministry.

He deliberately turned to face the other direction, but there was no respite there either. This time his eyes landed on Lucius Malfoy.

It had been a number of years since he had last seen Lucius, but he appeared as immaculate as ever, resplendent in robes of midnight blue, hair caught by a silver ring at the base of his neck. He still had the poise that Severus had so envied as a youth. His attention never wavered from the conversation around him, though it was obvious to one who knew him as well as Severus that he had seen his exchange with Dumbledore and was amused.

Discomforted, Severus took a few steps to the right, placing himself out of Lucius's direct line of sight. Then a subtle shift of position on Lucius's part placed him right back in it.

He glared at Lucius, who answered him with still more amusement, then sidled over to a cluster of wizards apparently hanging on Rolanda Hooch's every word.

"Oh, no. Not Davis," she said, giving him a silent nod as he joined them. "They need someone who'll work in better with Rogers and Beckwith. Now, Alston might be a good choice. Nice solid ball handling and his broom skills should complement their speed nicely. Wouldn't you agree, Severus?"

"Never given it much thought," Severus mumbled and took a slow sip from his glass.

Across the room, Lucius raised his glass in salute.

*

Time dragged. It felt more like three hours than one, but at last Severus felt the watch in his pocket vibrate, indicating it was over, and with a final surreptitious glance around, slipped out of the room.

He hurried down the long corridors to his rooms, taking no care to be silent or stealthy. He was sure his absence had already been noticed. Indeed he was half-expecting a hand to tap him on the shoulder at any moment.

What he wasn't expecting upon rounding the third corner was to find Lucius leaning against the wall ahead of him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, pulling up sharply.

Lucius pushed himself off the wall with a supple flex of his spine. "I wanted to offer you my congratulations."

"Your congratulations are noted."

That wasn't all Severus noted though. This close, he could see that poise and immaculate grooming weren't the only things about Lucius that had remained unchanged. The years had been kind to him to say the least. The fluid grace with which he was currently stalking toward him was proof of that if nothing else.

"It will be good to have someone who understands the true value of Slytherin back in charge again."

"I see," Severus said, folding his arms across his chest. "And I suppose this is where you tell me exactly what I owe you for this appointment."

"Now, Severus, it could hardly be supposed that such a recent appointee to the board of governors could hope to wield that much influence."

Severus raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Modesty, Lucius? It doesn't become you."

"Nevertheless," Lucius said, going on as though he hadn't been interrupted. "I'm certain there will be advantages to be found. Two old comrades working together."

"Comrades? The last I heard we weren't anything of the sort."

"It never pays to listen to gossip, Severus. I would have thought you would have known that by now," Lucius said, coming to a halt in front of him.

He fisted his hands in Severus's robe and arched against him, a languorous undulation that left Severus flush against the wall behind him.

"Lucius," Severus said, his arms dropping to his sides. "What are you..."

His body, however, knew exactly what was going on. His breathing sped up and his groin tightened as though all the years between them had fallen away.

Lucius drew the back of two fingers down Severus's cheek. "Severus. Severus," he said with a chiding click of his tongue. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me already."

A single flourish of his wand opened Severus's robes from neck to knee, and he slipped his hand into the gap. "Ah," he said, sliding his hand around a bare hip, a slight curl to his lips. "I see you haven't forgotten."

"These are my formal robes, Lucius. Not an invitation."

"I disagree," Lucius said, curling his fingers around Severus's traitorous prick. "This feels very much like an invitation to me."

He flicked his tongue across Severus's cheekbone and sank to his knees.

It was in Severus's mind to protest. However, all that emerged was a strangled groan when Lucius's tongue flickered across the head with dainty, cultured swipes. Then he was wrapped in tight wet heat and lost the thought completely.

Each slide of Lucius's mouth teased him, never taking him deep enough, then pulling back, until his mouth held only the very tip of Severus's prick. His hands clasped Severus's hips loosely, almost inviting them to find a rhythm.

Looking down, Severus saw a flare of heat from those normally cool eyes and felt the sudden urge to take what was being offered and fuck his mouth. Oh, how he wanted. But he couldn't, if only because he knew that passion, that connection was what Lucius was trying to forge.

He tipped his head back in frustration, forearms pressed flat against the wall and hips canted forward, the price of his resistance felt in each slow stroke of Lucius's mouth, in every tremble of his knees. In the heat that gathered slowly in his belly like the steady drip of sand through an hourglass, until at last he was released and came, into Lucius's rippling mouth and steadying hands.

It took a few seconds for him to pull himself together, but when he opened his eyes, it was to find Lucius still on his knees, one finger dabbing at the corner of his mouth.

"You see, I told you there were advantages to be had." He rose to his feet, cool and unruffled as ever. He leant in and whispered directly into Severus's ear. "We understand each other, don't we?"

And Severus did understand. "Reciprocity," he said with a doubtful nod, and reached for the clasps of Lucius's robe. He knew it was dangerous game to play. Surely, though, just the once wouldn't hurt.

Lucius looked pleased at this gesture, but stepped out of his reach. "Another time," he said, with an edge of regret. "It wouldn't do to keep the others waiting any longer. Come to dinner. Meet my son, Draco. We're expecting great things from him, and it would be advantageous for him to meet his future head of house."

"I'm afraid that might prove difficult," Severus said as Lucius turned to walk away. "I doubt Albus would--"

Lucius stopped half-way down the passage. "Nonsense. I'll have Narcissa arrange it. In the interest of the school, how can he refuse?"


End file.
